LAHORE, Aug 16: A livestock department guard has been paid his four and a half years salary after 11 years on the intervention of Punjab Ombudsman Abdur Rashid Khan despite withdrawal of the complaint.

Guard Muhammad Ashraf filed a complaint with the ombudsman secretariat that he worked in District Veterinary Hospital, Narowal, from November 1990 to May 1995, but his salary had not been paid.

The district officer (livestock) submitted that the complainant was appointed on ad hoc basis in a development scheme and his services were regularised as assistant director later on. The project could not be executed due to being faulty, but services of the complainant were not terminated till adjustment against a regular post.

M Ashraf withdrew his complaint, but the ombudsman ordered payment of his withheld salary observing that it had been proved during investigations that he was a regular employee and had not been paid. —Reporter